Spring-support for vehicle-tongues.



W. F. RESGHKE.

SPRING SUPPORT FOR VEHICLE TONGUES.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. e, 1909.

957,096. Patented May 3, 1910.

w/MM u m WILLIAM F. RESCI'IKE, 0F WIGHI'IA, KANSAS.

SPRING-SUPPORT FOR VEHICLE-TONGUES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 6, 1909.

Patented May 3, 1910.

Serial N 0. 531,603.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. RnscI-IKn, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVichita, in the county of Sedgwick and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sprin -Supports for Vehicle-Tongues; and I do eclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in sprin supports for vehicle tongues.

The 0 ject of the invention is to rovide a device of this character whereby the tongue will be yieldingly supported and the weight of the same removed from the necks of the draft animals.

WVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described and articularly pointed out in the appended c aims.

In the accom anying drawings, Figure 1 is a side View 0 my improved support showing the same applied to the tongue and front axle, the latter being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of the invention I provide a supporting bracket 1 which is bolted or otherwise secured to the under side of the vehicle tongue 2 at a suitable distance from the inner end thereof, said tongue be ing pivotally mounted between the hounds 12 by a bolt 2 In the lower end of the bracket 1 is formed a guide eye or aperture 3 with which is en aged the upwardly curved forward end 0% a spring supporting rod 4;, the inner end of which is pivotally connected to the forward ends of a pair of links 5, the rear ends of which are hingedly connected to abracket6 secured to the front axle 7 of the vehicle by a pivot bolt 8. The outer ends of the links 5 are provided with a series of longitudinally spaced bolt holes 9 whereby the inner end of the spring supporting rod 1 may be adjustably secured thereto.

The spring supporting rod 4 is threaded for a portion of its length and on said threaded portion is screwed a tension nut 10 between which and the bracket 1 is arranged a coiled spring 11 which provides a cushion or yielding support for the tongue. By adjusting the nut 10, the tension or gressure of the spring 11 may be regulated.

ecured to the inner end of the tongue, preferably mid-way between its pivotal connection with the front hounds 12 of the vehicle and the front axle is a block 13, said block having a bolt 14, adapted to be inserted through a suitable hole in the rear end of the tongue and to receive on its upper end a fastening nut 15. In the block 13 is formed a series of longitudinally spaced bolt holes 16, with any one of which is pivotally connected the upper end of a pair of hanger bars 17 to dispose said bars at a point midway between the bolt 2 and the axle 7 In the lower ortions of these bars 17 is formed a series of longitudinally spaced bolt holes 18 and between which are inserted the forward ends of the links 5, said links and the inner end of the spring sup orting rod 1 being adjustably and pivotal y connected to the hanger bars 17 by a pivot bolt 19 which may be enga ed with any of the bolt holes 18 thereby adjustably supporting the connected ends of the rod 1 and links 5 to hold the tongue at varying heights.

By means of a device constructed as herein shown and described, the tension of spring 11 is always the same no matter what the elevation of the tongue may be after it passes below its ordinary level, as the tongue and rod 4: move as one piece; hence no tension is exerted by said spring to move the tongue, such as is usual with spring supported tongues, and the neck yoke is thereby prevented from striking the heads of the draft animals.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a vehicle, the combination with a pivoted tongue, of holding means for said tongue including a link pivotally connected at one end to a relatively fixed portion of the vehicle, a rod slidably mounted on said tongue and pivoted to the free end of said link, a spring on said rod, and means pivotally connected with the free end of said link and with the rear end of said tongue at a point midway between the pivotal connection thereof and said fixed portion of the vehicle to which the link is pivoted.

2. In a vehicle, the combination with a pivoted tongue, of holding means for said tongue, including a link pivotally connected at one end to a relatively fixed portion of the vehicle, a bracket depending from said tongue, a rod slidable in said bracket and pivoted to the free end of said link, a coiled spring on said rod between said link and 5 between the pivotal connection of the tongue 20 and said fixed portion of the vehicle.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM F. RESOHKE. Witnesses N. F. ROGERS, SILAS S. BROWN. 

